Teamwork
by clarkstonmom
Summary: Someone is after Stephanie after Joe sends his son to jail. How will she deal with the efforts to keep her safe?
1. Chapter 1

**Teamwork**

**Ch. 1**

"Shit!" Joe slammed the phone back in its cradle so hard the desk and walls rattled.

Feeling his blood boiling in his veins, Joe looked over at Carl Costanza.

"Did you know about this?" Joe asked Carl.

Carl had his suspicions regarding the nature of the phone call. Only one thing could have Joe this enraged. He wasn't supposed to have found out, but it seemed to be too late for that now. Still, Carl was pretty sure this was a conversation he didn't want to be having with Joe and decided to feign innocence.

"About what?" Carl asked, voice innocent.

Joe glared at Carl. "Don't play stupid with me Costanza, it's a waste of my time. That phone call was about some notes that have been coming to the station. Know anything about them?"

Carl simply nodded, not wanting to say anything that might incite Joe further.

"When the hell were you going to tell me?" Joe hissed out through clenched teeth.

"Honestly…I wasn't Morelli." Putting up his hand to forestall the tirade from Joe he could see coming, Carl forged ahead. "The Captain doesn't want you working on this Joe. You're too close. You know what emotional involvement does to a cop. It takes away your perspective and objectivity. Makes the job more dangerous."

Joe clenched his fists together, then released them, trying to relieve the tension that had bombarded him from the moment he received the phone call. His voice low with barely controlled fury, Joe snarled "I have a right to protect what's mine."

Nothing about Morelli's reaction surprised Carl, but he would have loved to have seen the look on Steph's face if she could have heard Joe just now. She would probably have a few things to say about it. Regardless, Morelli was in no mood to be schooled on political correctness at the moment, and Carl figured his best course of action for getting out of this discussion in one piece was to take the defensive…and maybe offer some reassurance in the process.

"Jesus Morelli, you're not the only good cop on the force. Let us do our job too."

Joe scowled at Carl's words. "Screw that. I'm sorry, Carl, but I'm in on this case one way or another, so you may as well spill what you got so far." Joe hesitated for a moment. "After I call Steph and tell her not to expect me."

Joe inhaled a few deep breaths to try and calm himself before calling Steph. Damn, but she was getting too good at reading his moods and he didn't want to worry her before he had all the facts. He dialed Steph at the house, and when she answered, he allowed the sound of her voice to reassure him for the moment. Long enough to get the information he needed to figure out what he was going to do to keep her safe, anyway. He didn't stay on the phone too long, and after disconnecting from Steph, he turned his attention back to Carl.

"Alright, now spill. How long have these notes been getting sent to the station, and exactly what have they said?"

"I still can't believe you expect me to discuss this with you against Captain's orders."

"And I still can't believe nobody was going to tell me. If one of these damn notes hadn't accidentally gone to the front desk instead of directly to the Captain's office, I still might have no idea that a psychopath had targeted my wife. Fortunately, Sue was looking for some clarification on where the note should be directed and I was lucky enough to answer the phone."

Lowering his voice, Carl said, "Joe, if it makes you feel any better, none of the notes have named Steph directly."

Joe tried hard to conceal the smile that was threatening to erupt from hearing Carl's statement because he figured now he was getting somewhere. Carl was slipping despite his best intentions. By revealing what little he knew, perhaps he could trick Carl into revealing more information to him.

"According to Sue, the note she received stated that I took something of value from him and now he wants to return the favor. I'm assuming this valuable something is some scumbag I helped put away?"

"Thomas Leslie. The notes are coming from his father. But again, Joe, they aren't stating any specific threats against Steph."

Joe didn't care about that. He knew better. Ignoring Carl's statement, Joe continued with his questioning.

"What do the notes tell us about this guy's current location?"

"Well, they don't. They're being sent from various locations across the states. Obviously, the guy is well connected enough that he has different people sending them out from all over. He could be anywhere."

"Dammit!" Carl flinched when Joe cursed and slammed his fist against the desk. "What the hell am I supposed to do about Steph? There isn't another damned thing that psychopath could take that is as valuable to me as she is. He has to be referring to her in the notes. And if I can't figure out where he is, then I guess I'm going to have to take it upon myself to make sure that he can't figure out where she is either."

"Joe, be reasonable," Carl argued. "You know Steph isn't going to let you lock her away somewhere. She's way too stubborn for that. You just need to stand back and let us do our jobs. We'll find this guy and put him away with his good-for-nothing son."

"And how long is that going to take, Costanza? Huh? How damn long?" Joe demanded. Do you really think that I'm going to let Steph walk around that whole time, leaving her as a target for the guy that wants to take her away from me? As you said, not only could he be anywhere, but he's connected all over." Shoving his hands through his hair, Joe blew out a long breath. Lowering his voice, trying to contain his rage, he muttered "Thanks, but no thanks, I'll handle this my own way."

"Look, I can't say how long it's going to take, but we're working on it and…" his words trailed off as Joe stalked from the room. Unwilling to listen to anything more Carl Costanza was going to say.

Sitting in his truck, Joe called Ranger and apprised him of the situation. As he'd already assumed would happen, Ranger readily agreed to house Steph at RangeMan headquarters. Steph had stayed there once before when she was dealing with the Slayers, and Joe knew the security there was near to impossible to breach. They worked out all the details of getting Steph to the RangeMan offices undetected, and what they were going to do to quell the impression that that was where she was. It took a while to do, but when they were through Joe was feeling much better knowing a plan was in place. Joe went back into the station and arranged everything that he and Ranger had discussed. Now, it was time to go home and tell Steph everything. That wasn't going to be easy. Even harder than that, though, was going to be convincing her to go along with his plan to keep her at Ranger's. Glancing quickly at the clock, Joe realized how late it was. Most likely, Steph would be sleeping and he could put it off until morning. Maybe inspiration would strike in the night that would help him convince her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch. 2**

I was sitting up in bed, in the dark, when I heard Joe come in downstairs. I waited patiently while I heard him take Bob out, then give him a little snack when they returned. It was late. I was tired, but I could tell by the tone in Joe's voice when he called from the station earlier that he was worried about something, and that it was about more than just a standard case. I couldn't sleep until I found out what it was. When I finally heard his footsteps on the stairs, I turned on the light.

"Hey Cupcake, what are you still doing awake?"

"I was waiting for you. After your phone call I got a little worried." OK, a lot worried but I didn't like sounding like a nag.

A disgruntled look crossed Joe's tired face. "I specifically used my 'Don't worry' voice."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I was worried."

Shaking his head at me, a small smile erupting on his lips, he came over and joined me on the bed. "Being married to you is more complicated than I thought it would be."

I enlisted my fake pout. "Are you regretting it?"

Joe planted a light kiss on my pout. "Not at all."

"So, are you going to tell me what's going on now or do I have to torture it out of you."

A carnal look emerged in Joe's eyes, and I was sure he was pondering a myriad of sexual torture techniques I could use on him. Then he blinked, the look disappeared and I knew whatever he had to tell me wasn't going to be good.

"A few months ago, I busted a drug pusher who also had a side business selling arms to local punks."

"I remember. His trial just ended and he got put away for a really long time." I reached out, wrapped my arms around his neck, and placed a small kiss on Joe's cheek. "My sexy husband ridding Trenton of the bad guys," I said proudly. "So, what's the problem?"

Joe placed his hands on my arms and stared at me. His intense scrutiny was a bit unnerving, almost as if he was looking at me for the last time. Now I was getting worried.

"The problem is the guy's father is seeking retribution for the loss of his son. He thinks I took something precious from him and now he wants to do the same to me. He's been sending notes to the station for a couple weeks now stating ideas to that effect." Joe closed his eyes and tightened his grip on my arm. I waited quietly until he was ready to finish. I sensed there was more, and that I wasn't going to like it in the least. Finally, Joe opened his eyes and met mine again, a tense frown in his expression. "I just found out about it today. They were trying to keep it from me."

The tone in Joe's voice, the edge of temper there, told me exactly where this conversation was going before Joe even had to say the words. But I waited to hear them anyway. Joe moved his hands from my arms to cradle my face. Softening his voice, Joe continued, "Steph, I'm afraid that what he wants is you. You're the most precious thing I have." My heart melted at Joe's sentiment, but at the same time, a familiar tingle of fear crept up my spine and my gut told me Joe was right about my being a target. Still, in an effort to prove myself wrong, I asked, "Is that what the notes said?"

Joe's thumbs smoothed over my skin, and I drew some comfort from his loving touch. "Steph, they didn't have to say that. You're smart enough to know that." Joe lowered his eyes, struggling to keep his emotions in check. That's always an effort for him when I'm involved. I've come to accept that, and actually, I've come to love that about him as well.

"Honey, I don't want to scare you, but I want you to understand that the danger here is very real. I remember this guy. He was a constant presence in the courtroom throughout his son's entire trial--with the exception of a couple times when he was removed for causing a disturbance. He's capable of being very dangerous. And until we can get a bead on this guy…" Joe's voice faltered and he still wouldn't meet my gaze.

"And until you can…what Joe? What are you thinking?"

"You have to go stay with Ranger, Steph."

"No," I said on a whisper. Then, thinking that would do nothing to win this argument, I raised my voice to the opposite extreme and shouted, "I am not going to stay at Ranger's. How can you even think I would do that?"

"Steph," Joe said in a tone that implied a warning.

Me! He's warning me? Uh-Uh. No way. "I thought when we got married that we agreed to be a team, you know, equal partners in everything. I assumed that meant doing things _together_ from now on." I was still shouting.

Joe released my face and paced away from the bed. "Come on, Steph. We're partners. It's just that we make better partners in some places than in others. Turning back to me, the right corner of his mouth kicking up in a seductive grin, he added, "For instance, we're great bed partners."

I clenched my fists as my eyes lasered a death glare at Morelli. "I can't BELIEVE you just said that."

Joe executed a casual shrug. "Old habits die hard." Morelli flashed me his sexiest smile and my attitude softened. But I wasn't going to let Joe know that.

"They're not the only thing that'll die hard if you don't break those old habits," I grumbled with as much conviction as I could muster under the spell of Joe's smile.

Joe walked back to the bed and kneeled down in front of me, taking my hands in his. "Look, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that. We are partners in every way." Joe released one hand and placed a finger under my chin, holding my attention. "_We are. _But this is different Cupcake. This is my ballgame. Please understand. It was bad enough when I worried sick about you when you were putting your own self in danger. But now if anything happened to you it would be my fault and I can't live with that, couldn't live with myself if you were hurt—or worse."

Joe's temper was rising again. Now I placed my palm on his cheek, hoping I could calm that temper enough that he would surrender his plan to send me to Ranger's. "It wouldn't be your fault Joe. You were just doing your job when you put that low-life away. A job, by the way, that makes me so proud of you. You can't control, or be held responsible for, the actions of his crazy father now."

"Regardless, Steph." Joe shook his head. "Let me ask you something. How did you feel when I was shot by the Slayers?"

A while back, I had gotten into some trouble with a local gang going by the name of the Slayers. They had said they were going to take out a cop before they came after me. As it turned out, that cop had been Joe. The one good thing to come from it was the realization that I wanted to be with Joe forever and we finally got married. But right after he had gotten shot had been the worst fear I had ever known. I had been petrified that Joe and I wouldn't make it to the point that we're at now. I bit my lower lip to stop myself from answering a question that was most likely rhetorical anyway. Because, I hated to admit now under the circumstances, I had also felt guilty that it was a likely possibility they had shot Joe because of his association with me.

"Exactly," Joe responded even though I hadn't said a word, as if all my thoughts had been written plainly on my face. "Steph, I don't want to feel that way. We've finally made it. I don't want to lose you now. Hell, I _can't_ lose you now."

I felt like I was losing this argument. Joe looked so vulnerable kneeling on the floor, those warm brown eyes staring up at me, I could feel myself relenting. The best thing to do would be to get away from that imploring gaze of his. I got up from the bed and started to pace the room.

"You know, this is one of the things I was afraid of before we got married. I never wanted to become one of those clingy, needy wives. But the fact of the matter is we only recently got married and I don't want to be separated from you." I stopped pacing behind Joe. I turned Joe to me and met his eyes. "I'd miss you Morelli. And don't think for a minute that I don't worry about you too."

"Don't! I'm good at what I do."

The male ego never fails to astound me. "Good doesn't make you invincible."

"You have to trust me Steph. I'm a good cop. I can do my job."

"Of course I trust you. This isn't about trust." I hesitated. "Unless, maybe this is about trust. Maybe you simply don't trust me not to do something stupid that will hurt your case."

"That's not it at all. I do trust you Steph. But remember that Leslie doesn't appear to be after me, just something I hold valuable. This is simply about wanting to keep you safe while I do my job and find this guy."

"There's nothing simple about this," I groaned. But I was caving. I could feel it. It was Joe's eyes, and the tone in his voice. I needed to do this for him. I opened my mouth to say something and Joe put up his hand, stalling my words.

"Look Steph, I know you don't like when I pull this macho stuff with you. You're independent and determined, and just plain stubborn. But this guy means business, and it would be a lot easier for me to focus on catching him if I didn't have to worry about you every minute of the day." Joe turned away from me then, concealing the emotion I knew was riding closer to the surface than he was comfortable with.

"Fine."

"Fine?" Joe spun around so fast it took a moment before his eyes caught up with the rest of his head. But when they did, they looked relieved, a little less stressed. I did that with just one word. I felt good about my decision, even if it meant living the next couple weeks away from home.

"Yes, fine. I'll go. I'll let you do your job. Any ideas how long this will take?"

Joe seemed a bit off balance with my abrupt acquiescence as he stumbled a bit with his answer. "I'm not sure Steph. So far all this guy's done is send notes to the station. And he's sending them from all over, so we don't even know his general location. Eventually, he's going to have to do something more bold. We can hope for a phone call that could be used to trace his location. Who knows, maybe getting you into hiding will make him force his hand sooner. For all we know, he could already be watching you, learning your routine, planning the best time to get to you. If we remove that, he'll have to deal directly with me." Joe forced a small smile and a lightness to his voice neither one of us felt. "This could all be over with before you know it."

I tried to return the smile, but instead an involuntary shiver ran through me. I didn't like thinking I was being watched. It had actually been a while since I had had to worry about that, and I was getting used to feeling safe.

Joe moved back over to me now, gathering me into his arms and holding me tight against him. I was having a hard time breathing, but I didn't feel like complaining. Right about now, there was no other place I'd rather be. "I shouldn't have told you all that," Joe said into my hair. "I just don't want to keep anything from you, and I want you to fully understand the situation."

I wiggled myself partway out of Joe's embrace so I could look at him. "It's OK, Joe. I'm fine, really. I got spooked for a minute, but I'm glad you told me. For as long as we're still together, you don't have to deal with this alone."

"Thanks Wonder Woman." I narrowed my eyes at him and bit down on the inside of my cheek, just so I wouldn't laugh. No sense in encouraging him, even if I did love the smart ass in him. "Now I think it's time we talked about how this is going to go down. I don't want anything going wrong."

I didn't really feel like talking anymore right now. My stomach was tied in knots, and I was beyond exhausted. But I didn't feel like sleeping either. I was already feeling restless just thinking about being sequestered at Ranger's place, and I knew just what I wanted to do to cure my restlessness. Still, I thought it would be better to hear Joe out first. He was in cop/protective husband mode right now. The protective husband mode might fit in with my plans, but I had to get him out of cop mode. "Tell me what you've come up with Officer Hottie," I said reluctantly. Joe grinned. Lula had christened Joe with that nickname some time ago. I thought it fit him great, and Joe always got a kick out of it.

Taking my hands, he led me back to the bed. "In order to get to Ranger's place, I want you to drive to the station. Once there, you'll change into a beat cop's uniform, including hiding your beautiful curls under a hat."

I glanced up at him through my lashes. "Trying to butter me up?" I muttered.

"Thought it couldn't hurt," Joe responded with a chuckle, ducking away when I tried to swat him. "Now, getting on with it. When you leave the station, you will drive a blue and white to Ranger's place. Once you're there, you will change out of the uniform, and one of Ranger's men will drive the blue and white back to the station wearing the hat and an identical uniform, so anyone who might be watching will think it was just a cop visiting with some questions. Not too unbelievable, considering we're talking about Ranger." This amused Joe, I could tell. Still, ever since Joe had proposed to me his association with Ranger had become friendly and I had no doubts that Joe wouldn't have considered anyone else for this operation. What I couldn't believe was that Ranger would agree to be "visited" by a cop. I was thinking about this when I heard Joe say, "Once you're at Ranger's, we won't be able to communicate anymore. In any way." My eyebrows shot to the top of my head.

"At all?" I cried, hoping I wasn't sounding too whiny or pathetic.

There was pity in Joe's eyes. "I'm sorry, Steph. I don't want to take the chance of someone intercepting correspondence or a phone signal that could give away your location. No phones, no e-mail, no letters. It's too easy for someone who knows what they're doing to trace those things."

I wasn't anticipating that. This just kept getting worse. But I'm tough, I can handle whatever life throws at me. My brain had that thought, but apparently my mouth didn't get the message. "What am I supposed to do all day?" Great! So much for tough.

"Well, you work for Ranger now, so you'll do your job. And just think of the commuting time you'll save." Joe tried for another smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes this time.

"And what about the nights?" Mental head slap. _Stop whining Steph._

Joe's eyes softened. "You'll think about me—at home-- thinking about you, knowing that this is just as hard for me as it is for you," Joe replied softly.

And just like that, I knew I would do whatever it took to get through this and make it as easy for Joe as possible. "That is some comfort, I suppose." Dropping my voice to a seductive whisper, I added, "But hey, we still have tonight."

I saw the telltale flash of desire cross Joe's face, then disappear. "Cupcake, I thought you'd be asleep when I got home and we would discuss all this in the morning. As long as you're awake, maybe we should move you over there now. Ranger knows you're coming, and it's not like he keeps normal hours. Then I could stay at the station to work on this some more."

"Joe, I understand how you feel about protecting me. And I've agreed to go to Ranger's. But, I don't want to go now. Be reasonable, Joe. You said yourself, there's not a whole lot to get from the notes. What's the point of going to the station now? And what's going to happen to me in the middle of the night, when you're right here with me? For the next few hours, you can protect me just as well Ranger. Better than Ranger." Framing his face in my hands, I stared at him imploringly, then brushed a soft, brief kiss against his lips. Enough to tempt, but not satisfy him. "Please? I want to be with you tonight."

"I've never said no to you when you look at me like that," Joe said, his voice low and husky.

"Do you think you should start now?" I asked, carefully trying to maintain the look that had me so close to getting Joe naked. Then just to help seal the deal, I licked my tongue across my lower lip.

As if Joe's eyes were movie screens, I could see the war going on inside him between his instincts as a cop and his desire. I figured desire won out when Joe growled, "No, I don't," then pulled me up against him and brought his mouth down hard against mine. The rest of the night was spent in that oblivion where lunatic fathers and stalkers don't exist. I absorbed all of Joe's fear and regret, and returned his love.

After a long night of loving Joe, the morning came too soon. I felt Joe brush aside my hair and kiss my cheek. I flipped to my back, letting the sheet fall around my waist. I knew it was unfair, knew he was anxious to get to the station, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. I didn't want to leave him and if this was the last time I was going to see Joe for a while, I wanted to make it last. Joe smiled plaintively, such an uncharacteristic expression for him. He slowly leaned over and traced a light path down my chest with the tip of his finger, then quickly withdrew his attention and stood to leave, disappointment etched in his features, and an unspoken apology in his eyes.

"I gotta go Steph. It's time to catch the bad guy." He placed one last kiss on my cheek. "I'll see you later at the station."


	3. Chapter 3

**Ch. 3**

When I arrived at the station, the cops were looking at me like I was the walking dead. I ignored the sympathetic stares of everyone, and quickly made my way to a back interrogation room where Joe had told me a uniform had been left for me. I thought the cops should have more faith in Joe. I did. I had no doubts that I'd be back home with Joe and Bob in no time. I reached the interrogation room, closed the door and changed into the uniform. Just as I was finishing, there was a knock on the door and Joe came in. We said goodbye one last time, and as I turned to leave Joe reached out and grabbed my hand.

"When you drive to Ranger's go in circles a couple times, and check your mirror for tails."

"I know all that, you don't have to worry."

"Can't help myself. But I know you'll do great." One last bone-melting smile, and he was gone.

I left the station through the back door. A cop car stood ready and waiting for me, keys already inside. I hopped in, took a couple minutes to indulge some fantasies of Stephanie Plum…woman on the right side of the law, then turned the engine over and headed to Ranger's.

As an employee of Rangeman, I have access to Ranger's parking garage, but decided it would look better if a cop car didn't just roll in on its own. I had watched for a tail the entire drive over, and hadn't noticed anything, but I didn't want to be careless all the same. I stopped to announce myself, but of course the person guarding the gate recognized me immediately. After a couple minutes of making it look good, the gate was raised and I proceeded into the underground garage.

I took the elevator to the fifth floor to find Ranger and let him know I was here, although I was sure he already knew. This building has cameras everywhere, not to mention the gate guy looked helpful enough to announce my arrival. Sure enough, when the elevator doors opened, Ranger was standing there waiting for me. I jumped slightly.

"Sorry," I mumbled. "Wasn't expecting a welcoming committee."

Ranger grinned. "Why don't you come to my office and we can talk for a minute."

Great! More talking. I didn't want to talk. I wanted to turn around and run back home. I stole a quick glance at the buttons on the elevator panel. "Too late Steph. The cop car's already been driven back to the station. You're stuck here now. Morelli has good reason for wanting you here, and you're going to have to make the best of it."

I blew out a big breath and stalked off the elevator past Ranger. He followed me into his office and closed the door. "How are you holding up?"

"Me? I'm fine. My husband thinks I have a lunatic stalking me, waiting for a chance to grab me in retaliation for said husband doing his job. Joe, of course, feels very guilty about this and that guilt has caused him to request I be locked away until the lunatic can be caught when I, of course, would much rather be at home with my husband." My voice, dripping with sarcasm, had also reached a decibel level that had dogs across the city cowering.

Ranger regarded me warily for a moment, not sure if the next thing he said would bring on full Armageddon. "You're not locked up here, Babe. You have full access to the inside of the building. You just can't leave it."

Tears involuntarily pooled in my eyes. "Great, Ranger. Forgive me if that distinction does nothing to make me feel better. I hate being restricted at all. You know that."

"Yet you agreed," Ranger stated calmly.

"Yes, because when I finally decided to grow up and marry Joe, his wants and needs became of ultimate importance to me. More important to me than my own. And he needs me to be here so he can focus on catching Leslie without having to worry about me. So, I'll do whatever he needs. But what I need is any information you have regarding this mess."

Ranger nodded his head slightly, his silent way of acknowledging what I said, even if he didn't completely understand it. "Well Babe, I don't have much. This is Morelli's ballgame."

"What is it with you guys and that analogy?" I muttered.

"What was that Babe?"

"Nothing, never mind. Please continue," I said, flashing Ranger my best phony smile. One side of Ranger's mouth tipped up in amusement. A common reaction to me.

"Here's what I know right now. Anyone who has done their homework will be aware of your employment with me. Due to the nature of my business, it's natural to assume that I would be the perfect person to offer you a safehouse. Therefore, once you've been missing a couple days, I'll go to the bonds office and make a lot of noise to Connie and Lula about you not coming into work and leaving me high and dry."

"Will they know I'm here?"

Ranger shook his head. "Steph, it's not that we don't trust them, it's just that the less people who know the better. Not even your family can know where you are. The chance of inadvertent leaks increases tenfold for every person that knows something."

"But they'll worry, especially with my penchant for getting into trouble." I was feeling overwrought at the idea of just disappearing without a trace and worrying my friends and family. I wondered how Joe would handle it, what he would tell them. My eyes were burning again with the tears I had fought back a few minutes ago. Ranger started shifting uneasily. Tears made Ranger uncomfortable.

"Didn't Morelli talk about this with you yesterday?" Ranger asked, his tone short.

"I didn't really give him a chance. I was so caught up with my own feelings; I guess I didn't even think about anything--or anyone--else. This was all so sudden."

"I understand Babe. I'll give you an hour to get settled and pull yourself together, then I expect you at your desk getting some work done. It'll do you some good to keep your mind occupied."

"Yes, Boss," I said, resisting the urge to give him a military salute…or an Italian hand gesture.

Ranger shook his head and left the room. I followed him out a minute later, and went to the "apartment" I would be using. I changed out of the police uniform, got dressed in black clothes that had been left in the room for me, splashed some water on my face and went down to my desk. I got right to work and stayed busy, avoiding everyone else, not in the mood for conversation or company.

For the next couple days, I repeated this pattern. As Joe suggested, I worked all day until my eyes couldn't stare at a computer screen one second longer; then I'd go to my room where I'd think about Joe and wonder how he was doing, if he was alright, and if he had made any progress on finding Carlos Leslie. Ranger hadn't heard from Joe, so I assumed Leslie hadn't made contact yet. Ranger was sure that if Leslie called, Joe would find some way to get in touch with him to give him the news. I just hoped it would be sooner rather than later.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ch. 4**

**Meanwhile…back at the station…**

Joe was stalking around the office again, just as he had been for the last few days. Five if he was counting correctly. He was in a foul mood. Unofficially, everybody knew that Joe had set his wife up in a safehouse, although nobody knew where. Joe wasn't telling anybody anything. Despite the fact that the Captain wanted Joe to have nothing to do with the case, Joe had single-handedly taken over and was now insisting on handling all the details himself. When the desk phone rang, Joe quickly answered it. "Morelli here," he growled into the phone.

"_Ah, Mr. Morelli, just the person I wanted to speak with_," came the voice over the phone. Joe silently motioned for one of the officers to turn on the tracing equipment. _"My guess is you're attempting to trace this call so I'm going to keep this brief. You took my son from me, now I have plans to take someone who is precious to you. I'm going to hang up now. But, before I do, I'll give you something to think about. I'm closer than you know._" The line went dead and Joe dropped the phone into the cradle and his head into his hands. He knew the call hadn't lasted long enough to be traced and days' worth of suppressed rage boiled to the surface. He cursed and shoved the phone next to him off the desk.

"I'm going outside for some air," Joe called to the other officers in the room. "I'll be out back in the lot. If this idiot calls again, I am to be retrieved immediately. Got that?" All officers present nodded their agreement, too wary to speak.

In the lot, Joe pulled some fresh air into his lungs, trying to calm his frayed nerves. Joe thought about Steph, knowing she was probably going crazy already. Joe hated this, hated that it was his fault. The least he could do is call Ranger and update him on the development so Ranger could offer Steph some assurance in turn. Joe pulled out his cell phone and dialed Ranger's number.

Ranger recognized the number on the display. "Hello," he said, keeping his greeting innocuous enough to conceal his identity.

"Pino's? I'd like to order some take-out."

"Sorry, but you have the wrong number," Ranger mumbled into the phone, and then quickly terminated the call. But he had gotten the message loud and clear. He was to go to Pino's and order take-out and there he'd find Morelli.

Arriving at Pino's several minutes later, Ranger immediately spotted Joe at the bar. He sauntered to the bar himself, putting several patrons between him and Joe. After placing an order, he slowly made his way to the back to wait. A few minutes later, Joe joined him.

"Contact's been made."

"And?"

"And I'm positive that we were right about the target. But there's still no lead on a location for the jerk," Joe said tensely. "Just…

"I got it. Not to worry." Joe nodded his head. He wanted to ask about Steph, to find out how she was coping through all this. But it was safest not to prolong the conversation, so instead he walked off in the opposite direction before anyone connected him with Ranger. He was feeling worse than he could ever remember feeling before. Steph was a bigger part of him than he may have ever realized until now, and feeling helpless to help her was not sitting well with him. Joe decided to return to the station. He was determined to do something to get a break on this situation, even though at the moment he had no idea what that might be.


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch. 5**

I had been working for RangeMan for awhile now, so I had built up camaraderie with most of the guys. They were being very tolerant of my mood, but after the fifth day of skulking around the offices I was getting sick of myself. I decided it was time to get over it and make the best of this situation. So that night after work I went and hung out in the recreation room with some of the Merry Men. I hadn't seen Ranger around for a while, so I cornered Tank and asked him where Ranger was. After several minutes trying to dodge the question, Tank reluctantly admitted that Ranger had gone to Pino's to meet Joe because Joe had finally heard from Leslie. I allowed myself to feel optimistic about this and was actually having a good time, smiling for the first time in the last few days. Then Ranger walked in and the look on his face chased away my good mood. I knew he was bringing bad news. I leapt up and ran over to Ranger.

"Ranger, what is it? Did you talk to Joe?"

"Yeah I did, Babe."

"And, how is he?" Just talking about Joe inadvertently brought a smile to my face.

"Frustrated." My smile faded, which didn't seem to sit well with Ranger. "And he sounded like he missed you," Ranger added quickly. My smile returned, both because of what Ranger had said and just the fact that he had said it. Ranger doesn't handle emotion well--his or anyone else's. Even something as easy as saying Joe missed me doesn't come easily in Ranger's repertoire of conversational topics. I figured it was time to let Ranger off the hook he was squirming on.

"Well, what did he say about Leslie?"

A topic much more suited for Ranger, he quickly responded. "Earlier today Joe received a call at the station from Leslie. He's still toying with Joe regarding his intentions, but Joe believes he's definitely hunting for you. Apparently, Leslie intimated to Joe that he's closer than Joe knows. I'm afraid you need to stay here, Steph. I don't think this guy will be happy until he has you."

I had been expecting bad news as soon as I saw Ranger, but for a while there I had allowed myself to feel optimistic and I can't say the news wasn't a little jolting to my system. Regardless, I had an agreement with myself I intended to keep. "You don't have to worry about anything Ranger. I'm staying right here. I know Joe can handle this, and in the meantime I've already decided to make the best of the situation. Me and the guys here were just having an interesting conversation about movies."

Ranger shot me a skeptical look. I smiled at him reassuringly. "I mean it Ranger. No worries, OK?"

"OK, Babe."

Three weeks went by without another word from Joe. I handled the first couple weeks fairly well. By the end of the third week; however, depression was clearly setting in. I was back to spending more time alone in my apartment, and losing my entire paycheck to bribing Ranger's men to smuggle in junk food. Just today, I sent a couple of them out to smuggle me in a triple scoop ice cream cone of coffee-flavored Haagen Dazs. When they returned, they encouraged me to stay with them and hang out rather than retreat back to my apartment alone. Again. I really didn't feel in the mood for socializing, but I figured it might be the best thing for my mental health. And after several minutes of eating my ice cream, I was feeling much calmer. The guys seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. I guess it makes them feel good to do something nice for an unfortunate person such as myself. I savored the cone, enjoying every last bite, and when I was done I had no desire to move. Me and some of the guys were still hanging out when Ranger walked in later that day. Suddenly I started feeling queasy, which really isn't my usual reaction to seeing Ranger. I probably should've gotten only a double scoop of ice cream earlier. As Ranger approached me, I was aware that I was staring straight through him, swallowing hard.

"Steph, are you OK?" Ranger asked.

I wasn't OK at all, but I couldn't open my mouth to say anything. Within seconds, I had gotten hot, my stomach was churning and a huge lump was forming in my chest. I knew the signs. Covering my mouth with my hand, I ran from the room before I completely embarrassed myself all over Ranger's carpet. I barely made it to the bathroom before I deposited the contents of my stomach into the toilet.

I leaned back against the bathroom wall and closed my eyes, willing my stomach to settle down. There was a soft knock on the door and Ranger's voice drifted over me, asking me if I was alright. I opened my eyes, took a couple deep breaths and realized that I actually was feeling better.

"I'm better now Ranger," I called out. "Could you give me a minute, please, and I'll be out?"

"Sure thing, Babe."

Ranger left Steph in the bathroom as she requested and stormed back to the rec room. Anger coursed through his veins, as irrational as that seemed. Ranger figured Steph had eaten something that didn't agree with her, and there was no mystery where it would've come from. But she was a grown woman and could make her own choices, so why did he feel like tearing the heads off of his employees. Maybe because he hadn't heard from Morelli in weeks, and he was starting to feel useless. A feeling he was very unaccustomed to. Regardless, he needed to vent his anger and frustration somewhere, and there was a roomful of people about to become a very useful outlet.

Ranger stormed through the doorway, his face like a thundercloud. "Does somebody want to fill me in on how it came to be that Steph is currently in the bathroom puking?" Ranger demanded, only to be met with a sea of blank stares and cautious silence.

"Fine then, I'll make the question more specific so you can understand it. What did you guys smuggle in for Steph this time?"

"We got her an ice cream cone," Hal said sheepishly. Several RangeMan employees glared at him as if he'd just gotten them shot. Hal glared back, daring someone to come forward and stand with him.

"A triple," added Cal, accepting Hal's dare.

Ranger narrowed his eyes and pinned Hal with his fierce scowl.

"What!" Hal responded defensively. "She asked! We did it to be nice."

Ranger didn't buy that crap for a minute and relentlessly prolonged his "Yea Right" stare toward Hal, before slowly encompassing everyone in his glare, employing the silent technique that made people want to keep talking and spill all their secrets just to end the tense silence. Erik was the first to break this time, almost giddy with the excitement of getting to share the information he had.

"OK, truth is, we had ulterior motives agreeing to the ice cream cone. We figured it would be fun to watch Bombshell eat it. And was it ever! The way she attacked that cone with her tongue, licking up and down then all the way around to catch the drips…"

Ranger raised his hand, palm out toward Erik, whose words trailed off before Steph's tonguing techniques could be discussed further. Ranger had heard enough. Certainly images of Steph's tongue on anything wasn't going to help his mood any. Ranger heard the elevator and knew Steph had gone back to her apartment. She probably didn't feel like any company, but at the same time Ranger didn't think she should be alone. Hell, they were friends, and certainly comfortable enough with each other that he'd gotten past the point where he was mere company. He knew she was feeling worried about Morelli and miserable being confined here. Ranger wasn't sure how to help her, but he had to at least try. He was fairly positive that eating to the point she made herself sick wasn't helpful to her, so he couldn't do much worse. Steph usually ate comfort food when she was feeling stressed or upset, but she'd never made herself sick before. Maybe she was just missing home more than he realized. It was possible that he was going to have to get in touch with Joe and perhaps arrange a visit. He didn't think Joe would like that, but he wouldn't like knowing Steph was making herself sick either.

Ranger reached Steph's apartment and knocked softly on the door. He didn't want to wake her in case she had fallen asleep. Instead, her voice called out inviting him to come in and when he opened the door he found her sitting on the couch in the living room. He strode toward her and sat down next to her.

Ranger nudged Steph lightly with his shoulder. "Told you that stuff will kill you Babe."

"Well, it'll have to get in line behind all the lunatics, won't it?"

The corner of Ranger's mouth twitched. I knew he was trying hard not to laugh. "This will all be over soon."

"I appreciate you saying that, but you know there's no way of knowing that for sure. I really miss Joe. And I hate being locked up. Nothing would make me happier than going home." I blew out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry. I know I'm sounding whiny and unappreciative of everything you've done."

"We're friends, Steph. There's no need for apologies between us."

I smiled at Ranger. "Thanks Ranger. And I do appreciate you coming by, but I'm feeling really tired. Would you mind leaving so I can get some sleep?"

"Absolutely. Feel better and I'll see you in the morning." Ranger kissed me lightly on the head before he turned and left.


	6. Chapter 6

**Ch. 6**

When Ranger arrived back at his own apartment that he kept in the building, Tank was waiting for him outside his door.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Tank asked.

"You know what Tank? Steph's making herself sick over this confinement and I need to figure out what I can do for her. Can talking wait until morning?"

"I think it should be now Ranger," Tank said with enough seriousness in his tone to catch Ranger's attention.

Ranger cast an inquisitive glance Tank's way. Seeing the determined—and concerned—look on Tank's face, Ranger blew out a resigned breath and invited Tank into his apartment.

Tank had been dreading this conversation the last couple of days. He'd been trying to fight his suspicions, hoping he wouldn't have to have to talk to Ranger, but after seeing Steph today, he no longer felt that was an option. Steeling himself, he said, "We have to finish this operation up soon. We're not going to be able to keep Bombshell here much longer."

Ranger had been using his own resources to try and track down Leslie's location himself, and he didn't appreciate having his failure to do that challenged by one of his men. Ranger glared at Tank. "What do you mean? We'll keep her here as long as she needs to be protected."

"She's pregnant Ranger." Tank blurted out the words before he lost his nerve to say them.

Ranger maintained his glare on Tank, too shocked by what he heard to bother altering his expression. "What do you mean she's pregnant? What makes you say that? And how would you know anyway?"

"Well, I don't. Not for sure. But just look at the facts, man. She's been moody and argumentative as hell, and..."

"I just told you being cooped up here is getting to her. Of course she's moody," Ranger interjected before Tank had a chance to finish. For some reason, the need to deny Tank's theory was strong inside Ranger.

"And she got sick tonight. And…" Tank censored himself, not sure how to delicately put this next part so as not to incur Ranger's wrath more.

"And…go on Tank. Talk."

"And her chest is more…you know…there's just more."

Ranger had noticed that, but he didn't like the fact that Tank had noticed. It unsettled him although he didn't know why. He certainly had no claim on her. He just sure as hell knew he didn't want his best friend looking at her that way. With his emotions uncharacteristically unsettled, Ranger opted to lighten the tone of the discussion before it ventured into territory he didn't want to enter.

"I wouldn't let Morelli find out you were looking at his wife's chest. He's likely to rip your eyes from their sockets."

Tank impatiently waved his hand as if this statement was an impossibility not worthy of his consideration. Not too many people got the better of Tank.

"Look, the fact of the matter is I'll bet I'm right and if I am then she's going to need a doctor soon. We can't keep her locked up in here and it's too risky to keep bringing someone in to see her."

Although Ranger still wasn't sure he believed Tank was right, he had been considering arranging a meeting with Morelli anyway. "Fine, I'll arrange to have Morelli come here so we can formulate some ideas for ending this once and for all. It'll do Steph good to see him anyway. After that's settled, we can do something about confirming your suspicions."

"Don't you think you should try finding out now?" Tank asked.

"No, I don't. I don't want to give Steph more to worry about until we've worked out a way to end this."

Tank looked as if he had something more to say, but Ranger was anxious to be alone and didn't want to discuss this with Tank anymore. "Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. Good night, Tank," Ranger growled, summarily dismissing Tank. Knowing Ranger the way he did, Tank left without issuing another word.

Once Tank was gone, Ranger dropped onto his couch. Another problem for him to deal with. _How could this get so complicated? _Ranger thought to himself_. Oh well, at least that solves one of my problems._ There was no doubt in Ranger's mind anymore that he would have to get Joe here. Tomorrow he would go about finding a way.


	7. Chapter 7

**Ch. 7**

Joe was pacing the squad room, going over the phone log in his hand. One phone call. One lousy damn phone call, and it hadn't lasted long enough to trace. There were also the original letters sent to the station, all from various locations. Nothing that would help him get a fix on Leslie's location. And for the last three weeks, Leslie had laid low, neither calling again nor sending any more letters. Joe figured Leslie was upping the stakes, trying to make him desperate, more likely to screw up. Well, Joe was desperate. Desperate to have Steph back, desperate to make love to her again, to share a meal and walk Bob with her. But he wouldn't screw up. IF that's what Leslie thought, he was badly underestimating him. Joe clenched his fists then released them in a bid to ease the tension in his body. Obviously it didn't work very well because when the phone rang, he jumped like a goddamn rabbit.

Running low on patience, Joe snatched the phone up. "This is Morelli."

"_Are you a gambling man, Mr. Morelli?" _Joe straightened up and motioned for an officer to once again turn on the tracing device.

"Not particularly, no," Joe answered icily.

"_I am. I love a good gamble. Weighing the odds, figuring out who is going to come out on top."_

"I'm running out of patience old man," Joe snarled, his voice low with controlled fury. "Why don't you tell me what it is you want."

"_I want to take something of value to you, the same way you took my son from me."_

"So you've said. You understand your son was a filthy drug-pusher and arms dealer. But hey, if it'll get you off my back, you can have my truck. I really love that truck. That seems like an even trade for your scumbag son."

"_Don't be flip with me, Mr. Morelli. Listen to me, and listen to me good. Your wife is a very fetching woman. She is what I want. No doubt, she is quite valuable to you. But, I'm willing to gamble for her. You want me, but you'll never find me. And, I know for a fact you have your wife well hidden. That's making it difficult for me to get her. You haven't been to see her, and she hasn't been to see you. That's no way for a newly married couple to live. You must be getting frustrated by now, a young, healthy man like yourself with certain needs. I'll come out of my hiding place, if you get your wife out of hers. We'll arrange a meeting. If you can capture me I'm yours, and you can go back to living that blissful newlywed life you were enjoying, while my son rots in prison. But, if I best you, then your wife is mine and I can guarantee that you will never see her again. It's as simple as that. Are you willing to take that gamble? How much confidence do you have in yourself as a cop and a protector? _

Leslie was taunting Joe, preying on his self-image as a cop and husband. "Listen bastard," Joe said, his words dripping with venom, "you will never get your hands on my wife. You show your face and I will take you down, make no mistake about that."

"_I wouldn't be so sure about that. You'd be wise not to underestimate my power. I can hear the love you feel for your wife. That's how I feel about my son. No doubt you'd hate to lose her, so think about whether or not you really would be able to beat me. Being the fair man that I am, I will give you a chance to think about it. It's about time to end this call anyway. I'll be in touch in a day."_

At the sound of the click on the other end of the phone, Morelli glanced over to the cop sitting at the next desk. The officer shook his head, indicating Leslie had hung up before the call was traced.

"Dammit!" Joe yelled, jamming his fingers through his hair. Joe was strung out. He wasn't eating or sleeping. He missed Steph, more than he thought possible. His frustration at not being able to do anything was so palpable there were days he thought he'd choke on it. He wanted this over with now. Still, he couldn't believe Leslie would propose something so stupid as to bring Steph to meet him. He would never risk her that way. There had to be another way and he'd find it. In the meantime, now that he knew for sure what Leslie planned, he needed to contact Ranger.

"Looks like it's time to bring Ranger to the station," Joe mumbled to nobody in particular.


	8. Chapter 8

**Ch. 8**

"I don't like being chauffered by a blue and white Morelli. It's not good for the image."

"Yeah look, sorry about that Ranger, but I needed to talk to you and you know the phone isn't a good idea. Anyway, the best idea is to give the impression that you and I are at odds. Hauling you in might give that impression," Joe said, a wide smile creasing his mouth for the first time in weeks.

Ranger's lip quirked a half inch and he gave a slight head nod, conceding the point. What the hell. He was trying to figure out a way to get in contact with Joe anyway. "What's going on?"

"I had an interesting conversation with our friend yesterday. He's ready to deal."

Ranger frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest. "What's the deal?"

Joe filled Ranger in on his conversation with Leslie.

"So, what's stopping this guy from taking you out the minute you come from under cover?" Ranger asked when Joe finished detailing the conversation.

"Based on things he's said? My gut instincts say that isn't his plan. I think he'd sure as hell put me out of commission temporarily to get his hands on Steph, but I don't think he wants me dead. He wants me to suffer her loss, the same way he's had to with his son." Joe let out a humorless laugh. "I've gathered from our brief conversations this guy isn't dealing with a full deck."

Ranger shook his head. "That makes him even more dangerous. You're really going to have to watch your back when this goes down."

Morelli raised his right eyebrow and glanced at Ranger. "You say that as if I'm actually going to do it."

"You're not?" Ranger demanded incredulously.

"Of course I'm not!" Joe answered, scowling at Ranger as if Ranger was the one without a full deck. "I'm not bringing Steph out in the open and risk her getting hurt if the operation goes wrong."

"Well, I like it," Ranger said curtly, crossing his arms over his chest. "It seems the best chance we have to get this guy."

Joe glared at Ranger with barely leashed fury in his eyes. "No. That's final."

Ranger knew that Morelli was being irrational. Nothing to this point had worked to find this guy. And in all likelihood, between Morelli and himself, they could prevent anything from happening to Steph during the meeting. But Ranger didn't know how to convince Morelli right now. Taking in Morelli's appearance, Ranger could see this situation was taking its toll on him. Morelli looked like he hadn't slept in days and he was too agitated from not seeing Steph to hear anything Ranger had to say. After the incident with Steph vomiting last night, and Joe's reluctance to see reason now, Ranger knew the best thing for both of them was to see each other. Ranger thought Steph should be told about the idea and he was sure she would agree to do it. And once Joe was on calmer ground, the three of them could discuss this together, and hopefully convince Joe of the validity of the idea.

Ranger squared his shoulders, preparing for the next round of battle with Morelli he was sure would come when he suggested the meeting.

"I think you should come to my place to discuss this further."

Joe looked at Ranger as if he'd lost his mind. "Have you lost your mind? I can't come to your place!" Joe shouted. "You know damn good and well I most likely have a tail."

"And you know damn good and well that you can lose any tail you want!" Ranger answered, his voice tight with the struggle not to shout back at Morelli, who was being a real pain in the ass.

"It isn't worth it. I would never endanger Steph that way."

"What if I told you she spends most of her time now locked in her room? And she's constantly sending my men on covert missions to bring her junk food." _And she could be pregnant with your child, _Ranger thoughtto himself, unwilling to say it aloud to Morelli without confirmation and, more importantly, without clueing Steph in to the possibility first. Grinning at Morelli to try and ease his temper, Ranger continued his appeal. "My productivity is at an all time low right now."

Despite his tense mood, Joe's lip quirked in amusement.

"Glad you think that's funny," Ranger grumbled. "Look, in all honesty, she needs you Morelli and I'd venture a guess you need her too. You're acting like a real SOB right now."

"This coming from Mr. Charm himself," Joe countered with a smirk. Joe paused as Ranger's statement about Steph spending all her time in her room finally sank past the worry that constantly crowded his thoughts now. He hated to think of Steph being miserable. He shook his head to clear it. "I can't believe I never even asked how Steph was. She's really spending most of her time in her room?" Ranger nodded, feeling the tide turning in his direction.

Joe thought about Steph. What it would be like to see her and hold her again. It didn't sound like she was doing all that well and guilt churned in his gut. This was all his fault; she was unhappy because of him. She was unhappy for him. That touched him more than anything. Ranger was right. He could lose any tail. He owed it to Steph to do this. "Fine. I'll come. I'll do it for Steph."

"I knew you'd see reason. It must be my charm," Ranger said, unable to conceal the gloating in his tone.

"Yeah, yeah. Just tell me what you want me to do."

"Come looking like you're on the hunt. My man at the gate will give you a hard time. Give him a hard time back for a few minutes then push your way past him. I have offices on the fifth floor. I'll meet you there."

Ranger opened the door to leave, then thinking it wise to dispel any notion that he was on a social call, he turned back to Morelli and shouted loudly, "If that will be all _Morelli, _I'd appreciate you not bothering me again," then he turned back around and stormed out of the station.

Joe thought about seeing Steph after so many weeks and his heart started racing at the same time his gut clenched and his lower body hardened.


	9. Chapter 9

**Ch. 9**

I woke up this morning feeling slightly less queasy than I had been, and I hadn't thrown up again since the ice cream cone incident a couple days ago. But feeling hopeless that my confinement would ever end, I was currently once again holed up in my apartment consoling myself with smuggled food. This time it was a box of donuts. As I was savoring one particularly large and delicious bite, there was a knock at my door. Whoever it was should've known better. I was feeling as protective of these donuts as a lioness protecting her cubs. I wasn't sharing, and heaven help the person who might try and take them away from me.

"Go away," I shouted.

"Steph, I need to show you something," Ranger answered. "Can you come out here?"

"No."

"Dammit Steph, get out here," Ranger responded.

"Dammit Ranger, you can't tell me what to do. I'm sick of being here, I'm sick of being told what to do and what's best for me, and I'm not coming out!" _So there, _I thought. I showed him.

"Steph, I understand you bribed one of my men into bringing you donuts in there."

"Yeah, so." _What am I? In second grade? _

"So, if you keep locking yourself in your room with donuts you're going to be big and fat when you see Morelli again. You don't want that, do you?"

Now this conversation was getting ugly. I was the only one who got to make cracks about my weight. And I definitely didn't feel like talking about Joe when at this point it seemed I was destined to never see him again. Maybe I should just let myself go. Then again…I got up and walked over to the door, ready to open it up and relinquish my rights to my donuts. By the time I reached the door; however, I had changed my mind again. That's a woman's prerogative, right?

Still speaking through the closed door, I yelled, "Morelli will love me no matter what! Even if I am fat…maybe…probably…maybe…alright, you know what? Screw Morelli!" and I yanked open the door only to see that wonderful man standing on the other side. My breath caught in my lungs.

"That's kind of what I was hoping for," Joe said in a voice so husky and deep my knees buckled, my stomach dropped six feet, and my pulse began to race. I knew that tone all too well.

Joe's eyes greedily stroked over me before I grabbed his hand, pulled him into my apartment and slammed the door behind us. He turned to me and our eyes locked in a gaze full of intensity and desire. Joe uttered a primitive growl low in his throat that made me wild. In the next instant, in a move so subconscious I can't remember making it, we were wrapped around each other and Joe's mouth was crushing mine, devouring me, sating his hunger and feeding mine. When we finally took a break to drag some much needed air into our lungs, I figured I'd take that opportunity to ask some questions I really wanted answers to.

"So, I want to know what's been going on. What have you been up to? Have you found Leslie? When can I get out of here? Did you come to get me? Is that what you're doing here?" Joe kissed me, soft and gentle, a kiss meant purely to shut me up.

"I'm not here to take you home, but I am here all night. We'll discuss everything in the morning. I've been dreaming about being with you the last few weeks, and believe me when I say it's going to be a long night."

Joe slowly led me over to the bed and gently laid me down. He touched me reverently, worshipping me, until I was begging him to ease the pleasurable ache he had created in me, and he did so splendidly. As promised, it was a very long night indeed. The man's stamina amazed me, but I couldn't complain. And when we were both finally sated, Joe lay down behind me, pulled me flush against his chest and held me there the rest of the night.

I woke up the next morning feeling warm and safe. I can't remember the last time I'd felt that. Although I knew nothing would happen to me while I was at Ranger's, it wasn't the same feeling of utter safety I felt when I was wrapped up against Joe. His warmth felt so good, I shimmied my body closer to him, laying my head on his outstretched arm.

"Morning, Beautiful," Joe murmured huskily in my ear.

With his free arm, Joe stroked my back and my hair. It was such a sweet gesture I couldn't help but reach behind my head and drag my own fingers through his hair, slowly massaging his scalp. Before I knew it, we were re-enacting the events of the previous night. It just doesn't get any better than this, I thought later, as I drifted back into a peaceful slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

**Ch. 10**

"If I know Steph, she'll want to do this. It should be her choice." Ranger's voice was controlled, but the frustration in his tone was unmistakable.

"She's not your wife!" Joe spat through gritted teeth, stepping forward and invading Ranger's space. They stood inches from each other, feet apart, arms crossed, in perfect battle mode. Their eyes were narrowed, nostrils flared as each breathed hot fire at the other. Ranger didn't quite know how to respond to that. He, Joe and Steph had an interesting history, but they'd gotten past it and eventually become friends. Since then, Joe had never seen the need to stake a claim the way he just did. But Ranger couldn't blame Joe for his aggressiveness. If Steph were his wife, he'd feel the same way. In truth, Steph was the only woman who had ever made him even consider taking that leap of faith with a woman again. But he knew in reality he couldn't do it. He didn't have room in his life for those kinds of feelings, which suited him just fine. Ranger respected Morelli as a man who was able to do the one thing that he himself couldn't. And he understood that Morelli was dealing with feelings of frustration and worry that best expressed themselves through anger. Steph was lucky to have Morelli, and vice versa. And as both of their friends, he was going to stand down from a confrontation with the man in front of him. He wasn't about to get on his case now when his woman was in danger.

Relaxing his stance and taking a couple steps back, Ranger replied, "Whatever you think is best, Morelli."

I stood in the doorway to the kitchen and took in Joe's rigid stance, the clenched muscle in his jaw. Tension was pouring off of him in waves, dousing Ranger with it.

After a few undetected moments, the guys' attention finally shifted to me. I walked into the kitchen, coming to stand between Ranger and Joe.

"What's going on in here?" I asked warily. "Joe, you're acting very tough."

"Takes a tough man to face that hair every morning, Babe," Ranger joked.

Joe slanted Ranger a sly grin. "That's my wife you're talking about, but that's a good one." Ranger smiled in return. I frowned. The tension between the guys seemed to have dissipated for the moment, but mine was quickly growing.

"I know what you two are doing. You're trying to distract me by pissing me off. Well, it won't work."

"You're not pissed?" Joe asked, a teasing glint in his eyes, "because I thought the hair comment would do it for sure."

I narrowed my eyes and took a deep breath before responding. "No, Joe, I'm not distracted. I want to know what you two were arguing about."

Joe averted his eyes in a telling gesture that he was attempting, once again, to avoid the question. Turning back to me with concerned eyes, Joe asked "What are you doing out of bed Cupcake?"

"I woke up and you weren't there. I wasn't expecting that."

"Sorry. I wanted to spare you one of those awkward morning after scenes." Joe mustered up a tiny smile, trying but failing to lighten the mood. And the harder he tried to keep from answering my question, the more I wanted an answer.

"For the last time Joe, you cannot joke your way out of this. Right now, tell me what is going on."

"Nothing," Joe asserted.

"A plan." Ranger confessed.

Frustration was mounting, and I found myself taking another deep breath. "Well, which is it. Because a plan doesn't sound like nothing. A plan to get me out of here sounds like something."

"It's a nothing plan," Joe argued, "not even worth mentioning." His gaze pierced Ranger's, daring him to say otherwise. Ranger took the dare.

"Leslie has challenged Joe to a duel of sorts. He wants the two of you to meet him somewhere, where he and Joe can face off. Whoever wins, gets you," Ranger said.

I sucked in a startled breath. I wasn't sure that's what I was expecting to hear, but at the same time I knew that I would do it, willingly and gladly, if it meant getting out of here and back home with Joe.

"Fine, when are we going to do it?"

"Hold on a minute Cupcake. You can't seriously think that I would allow you within a foot of this guy." Joe slashed his hand through the air. "No, we'll find him some other way."

"How Joe? It's been weeks already and you haven't been able to get a lead on his location. I can't take much more of this. I want to be home. Please understand that. He's offering to come out of hiding, to show himself, how can we not take him up on it?"

Joe regarded me with a long look. "You're amazing," Joe said finally. I shot him a suspicious glance, attempting to gauge his motivation for that comment, determine if he was putting me on. But there had been a slight trace of awe in his voice that told me he wasn't. At my look of suspicion, Joe gave his head a slight shake. "I mean it, Cupcake, I love your fiery temper and sass. You excite me and you challenge me. No other woman can match it and I won't lose it."

The firm set to Joe's mouth told me he was done discussing the matter and that his final decision had been cast. I was moved by what he'd said, but no way was I backing down. I wanted to do this. I slowly made my way over to Joe and placed a light kiss on his chin. Then I took his hands in mine. I wanted that physical connection to corroborate my words.

"Joe, I trust you more than anything else in this world. Not for one minute do I think anything will happen to me with you there. And once this guy comes out in the open, and we grab him, we can be together again. I belong by your side. Please let me do this. Please."

Joe's eyes softened, his grip on my hands hardened. I felt his turmoil, but knew I had already won. So I waited patiently to hear the words that Joe was struggling to say.

"OK, Cupcake, we'll do this together. When Leslie calls again, I'll let him know that we'll meet him. After that, I'll get in touch with Ranger, and give him the details."

I tried hard not to let out a holler of joy in the face of Joe's look of defeat. I had confidence this would turn out alright, but Joe couldn't be as objective when it came to my well-being. A little reassurance might be in order. "Well, I'm glad that's settled. I think I'll go take a shower now. You coming?" I asked Joe.

Joe gave me a smile that warmed his eyes and melted my heart. "That sounds great, Steph, but I need to talk to Ranger a little bit more." I eyed him with caution, not sure I should leave them alone again. Joe reached out and stroked my cheek. "It'll be OK Steph, I just want to work something out with him. After that I should really get going. It's not safe for me to stay any longer. It could raise suspicions."

I fought back the pure disappointment I felt that Joe was leaving. He certainly didn't need a guilt trip from me. "Alright. But, Joe? I'm so glad you came."

"Me too, Cupcake." He treated me to one more sexy grin. "Now, we won't have further contact until I see you at the meeting spot. And I just want you to know that I'll keep you safe that day."

"I have no doubts. Just tell Ranger when and where and I'll be there."

Joe gave me a light, sweet kiss to avoid the inevitable sparks between us from flaring up. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck for a few seconds, reassuring myself with his strength, then turned and left the kitchen.

Once Steph was gone, Joe turned his attention to Ranger. As he told Steph, he had some business with the man.

He regarded Ranger uncomfortably. "I'm sorry about earlier. I was out of line. I know you were only trying to help." Joe paused, unfamiliar with feeling humble. "I'd really like it if you were there backing me up when I meet with Leslie."

"I wouldn't think to have it any other way," Ranger said without hesitation. "A couple of my men and I will get there the night before, stake out the area, and then camp out. That way we won't risk Leslie seeing us arrive."

"Thanks, Ranger. This guy is volatile, and I don't want anything setting him off. And while I'm grateful you'll be nearby, I do want you to stay in the background. This fight is between me and him. I've been waiting for this opportunity and I'm going to be the one to take this bastard down."

"Agreed. And you're good, but don't get cocky. You need to stay on guard. I'd rather this not play out with something happening to you."

Joe's lip quirked up in amusement. "So nice to know you care," he razzed. Ignoring the scowl Ranger threw at him, Joe said, "Steph will be there. I wouldn't do anything foolish to risk her, you should know that. But this guy _is_ going down." Joe hesitated before continuing, not anxious to voice his next thought. "However, if something should go wrong, if anything unexpected happens to me…Ranger, I'm trusting you with Steph. You bring your men in and just get Steph the hell out of there. There is no way Leslie is to be allowed to leave with her."

At the mere thought, a small shudder ran through Joe. "I still can't believe I let Steph talk me into this. She is something isn't she?" Joe asked with a wry smile.

"That she is." Ranger extended his hand, and Joe grasped it in a firm shake. "And I assure you, Leslie will never get his hands on her." Ranger grinned. "But that doesn't let you off the hook. All joking aside, I still don't expect you to get yourself hurt out there. Got it?" Joe returned the grin, but said nothing. He knew he would do whatever it took to keep Steph safe, no matter what that meant for him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ch. 11**

Seeing Joe had been just what I needed. I can't remember the last time I had smiled for this long. He actually had a plan for getting me out of here. On top of that, I was lying on my bed bathing in sweet memories of being with Joe, under Joe, the feel of his hands and mouth everywhere. I couldn't have been happier. I was grateful to Ranger for arranging it, and grateful to Joe for agreeing to come. And even more grateful for everything he had done once he'd gotten here. A knock sounded on my door, jarring me out of my reverie. I blew out a huffy breath, rolled off the bed, and walked to the door. I yanked the door open and found Ranger standing with his shoulder against the jamb, a brown paper bag dangling mysteriously in his hand.

"Hey Ranger!" I said as cheerfully as I could manage after being disturbed from my erotic reminiscing.

"Hey Steph, uh, can I come in?" Ranger asked.

Ranger nervous. That was new. And although I'd rather have remained alone to continue thinking about Joe, how could I say no to Ranger? He had brought Joe to me. He had also gone against Joe earlier by telling me about Leslie's challenge. An idea I also suspected he was in favor of and argued for. "Sure," I said, stepping out of the doorway so Ranger could pass through.

I closed the door and found myself staring at Ranger's back. I waited for him to say why he was here. Finally, he turned to face me and I saw the worry etched on his face.

"What is it Ranger?" I inquired.

Ranger hesitated briefly before saying, "It's been a couple hours since Morelli left, and I just wanted to stop by and let you know that you don't have to go through with Leslie's demand. If you've been having second thoughts and you want to change your mind, I can contact Morelli and let him know. We just have to do it before he hears from Leslie again."

I drew my brows together, totally confused by what Ranger said. Ranger had backed me up this morning in the kitchen, what reason could he have for saying these things now?

"Why are you doing this, Ranger? I thought you were on my side. At least you seemed to be this morning when you stood with me against Joe."

"I stood with you against Morelli because I think it's our best chance to nail this guy and I think you're up to the challenge. But the final decision is yours."

"And I've made it," I said with conviction.

Ranger's eyes darkened, shrouded with worry. "You may not have made it with all the facts, though."

Ranger handed me the brown paper bag he'd been holding. I opened the bag and peered inside, then quickly closed it again. I opened my mouth to protest, but anecdotal evidence pointing to the possibility flashed through my mind and froze the words in my mouth. I was still staring at the bag, pondering this evidence, when I heard the click of the door closing. Ranger had left me to my thoughts and to what I knew had to be done. With much apprehension, I dragged myself into the bathroom. And five minutes after that, all doubt had been erased and I felt shaken to my very core. I moved to the bed in a trance and sat down. How did I miss the signs? How could I be that dense? To be fair, my mind has been preoccupied with being hunted by a psychopath and stashed in a safehouse.

I thought about the last few weeks, of all the time I had missed with Joe and I felt indignant. Then I thought about the baby I now knew I was carrying, and how Joe had a right to know about it, and I became incensed. What right did this Leslie have to take this time away from us? I wanted Joe to know about his child, and to share this exciting time with him. Joe and I had been kids together and now we were having a kid together. The thought was scary, and mind-boggling…and completely heartwarming. The path between then and now had been filled with many ups and downs. But we had made it, and we would make it through this too. I couldn't let the fact of my pregnancy stop me from doing the one thing that would make this pregnancy a joyful experience. I wanted to go home and have some quiet, peaceful time with Joe and our baby. Meeting Leslie while I was pregnant was risky, but then again, how could I go through this pregnancy locked up and away from Joe. There really seemed to be no choice. Meeting Leslie was still the fastest way back to Joe. And being together as a family was the best thing for my baby. Already, I was feeling fiercely protective toward the baby. It's amazing how quickly that happened, yet its how I knew nothing would happen to my baby if I went through with this.

I slowly rose from the bed, and left my apartment to find Ranger. On my way, I ran into Hal who told me that Ranger was in the control room watching video surveillance. I took a short detour into the kitchen, then found Ranger sitting in front of the bank of monitors.

Nudging him on the shoulder, I took a seat a seat next to him. "Boss doing surveillance now?"

Ranger threw me an amused glance. "I sent Jimmy home sick, so I thought I'd fill in for him."

"Nice of you," I said, as I handed him a carton of unappealing yogurt. "I thought I'd bring you a snack to help keep you going."

Ranger flashed me a smile filled with warmth, gratitude, caring and concern. On a face accustomed to hiding most emotion, it unnerved me a bit to see so much now. Feeling like I needed to lighten the mood a bit, I blurted, "Well, I'm knocked up alright!"

In a flash, Ranger fixed his expression to conceal all emotion. "Does that surprise you?"

Surprise, excitement, joy. I was feeling them all. And smack dab in the middle of all of it was fear. I felt like I was just starting to get a handle on my own life. How would I do being completely responsible for someone else's? Since fear is something I'm uncomfortable confronting in any situation, I resorted to sarcasm to mask the undesirable emotion.

"I suppose not," I answered with a shrug. "After all, I am a married woman, Ranger. I do have sex. Or, maybe you thought sex stopped after marriage and that's why you're so reluctant to take the plunge?"

Ranger narrowed his eyes and glowered at me. "I asked you if you were surprised. I didn't say that I was."

"I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. Hormones and all that," I joked, waving my hand in a dismissive gesture. Ranger kept his glare trained on me. Apparently, he wasn't letting me off that easy. I blew out a long breath. "Yes, alright, I am somewhat surprised. The truth is that Joe and I have never really discussed starting a family and what the right time for it would be. Still, ever since we got married we're not always as careful as we used to be when it comes to…" I cut myself off and glanced over at Ranger. "Should I be talking about this with you?"

Ranger flashed me a huge grin, putting me a little more at ease. What happened between Ranger and I was like a different lifetime, and had no bearing now. Now what I needed was a friend, and Ranger was that. It might help for me to admit the truth to him. I lowered my eyes to my hands fidgeting in my lap. "Ranger, the truth is I'm scared. Although I think Joe will be thrilled, I'm not sure _I'm_ ready for this."

"You'll be fine, Steph. I think you'll make a great mother." Grateful for the reassurance, and touched by the sentiment, I smiled at Ranger and placed my hand over his. The lump that had formed in my throat prevented me from saying any actual words.

"Have you decided what you're going to do about meeting with Leslie?" Ranger asked, coming to my rescue.

Ranger's tone was somber, and I knew my decision, especially in light of my news, must be weighing on his mind. I swallowed around the lump in my throat so I could answer his question and hopefully ease his mind somewhat.

"Actually, I have. I hope you understand, but I think we need to go through with the plan we outlined this morning with Joe despite the baby, and mostly because of the baby. I want to be home with Joe, with our baby. I don't want to waste another day."

Ranger held my gaze. "I understand Steph. Morelli will call when he has the details on the meet. I'll have to let him know then."

Alarm skittered through me. "You can't tell him about the baby," I cried, gripping onto Ranger's arm.

"Steph, don't you think he has a right to know?"

"Of course I do Ranger. That's what I was trying to tell you, why I want this mess over with now. But I want to be the one to give him the news. And for God's sake, we have to consider that there's no way he'd let me do this if he knew I was pregnant. Hell, he doesn't want me doing it in the first place."

Ranger stole a glance at my hand, still gripping his shirt so tightly it depicted my desperation and emphatic stance on the matter.

Raising his eyes to meet mine, he said, "Fine. I won't tell him."

"Thank You. I mean that. I really appreciate it." I finally released Ranger's shirt, smoothing it out for him apologetically. "Everything is going to be fine, Ranger. Joe isn't going to let anything happen to me. And that means my baby is safe too. And when this is over, I'll be able to tell Joe the wonderful news."

"You already seem to be warming to the idea."

Grateful for the diversion in topic that signaled Ranger really was through arguing with me about telling Joe my news, I relaxed, smiled and reveled in the chance to share my newfound excitement with Ranger, talking long into the night with him.

The next morning at the station, Joe was sitting with his feet up on a desk, feeling somewhat more relaxed than he had in a long time. He was still concerned about the meeting with Leslie, but seeing Steph the day before definitely did a lot to bolster his spirit. He was glad that he'd taken the chance on going to Ranger's. Chuckling to himself, Joe remembered that Ranger hadn't left him with much of a choice. But, Ranger had been right. He had needed that chance to be with Steph, to hold her and see she was alright, and to remind himself that she was made of strong stuff. She may have been unhappy with being sequestered at Ranger's, but she did it. And she showed even more grit when she argued with him about accepting Leslie's ultimatum and ending her confinement. The way she went toe-to-toe with him was one of the things he loved most about her. Joe didn't even hear the approach of the officer coming to tell him there was a call for him. Dropping his legs from the desk, he picked up the phone. The call he'd been anticipating had come. Leslie told Joe to meet him in a deserted alley across town. With old buildings and a lot of trees around, there were plenty of places to hide. The muscles in Joe's jaw twitched from being clenched tightly as he listened quietly to Leslie's demands. When Leslie finished his instructions he issued a warning.

"_Just make sure your wife comes, Morelli. If I don't see her, you'll never see me, and this separation of yours will go on indefinitely."_

Up to that point, Joe figured anything he had to say to Leslie could wait until he saw him tomorrow. Now, however, he wasn't going to let the warning pass without one of his own. Through his clenched teeth, Joe spat, "Come and get her old man, because when you do, I'll take you to see your son." Slamming the phone down and disconnecting the call, Joe took a couple deep breaths then picked the phone back up and called Ranger. After advising him of the time and location for the meeting, Joe ended the call and breathed a sigh of relief. Tomorrow he was going to get his wife back.


	12. Chapter 12

**Ch. 12**

I was in place at the designated meeting spot. Ranger and his men had left the night before and were now positioned around the area somewhere. I knew I wouldn't see them. That was the arrangement he had made with Joe, who wanted to handle this completely on his own. I understood that, and respected it. But I also knew I would do whatever I could to help if the situation arose, and I didn't put myself or the baby in too much danger. Joe and I were a team, despite his lovingly protective instincts.

Joe. I couldn't believe I was finally going to go home with him tonight. I was confident of that. I subtly placed my hand across my stomach for a brief moment, as I searched the area around me. And then I saw him and everything inside of me turned to mush. Joe looked like hell. He looked like he hadn't slept or shaved since I'd seen him at Ranger's. Still, right this minute he was the most beautiful sight in the world to me. Our eyes locked and held, as we each slowly appraised the other. Then, just as slowly, aware we were most likely being watched by Leslie and who knows who else, we approached each other. Joe pulled me into his arms and wrapped me in his scent and his warmth, and for a brief moment all was right with the world again. And then I felt Joe stiffen, his muscles tense and bunch and I knew the peace had ended, and the fight was about to begin. I extricated myself from Joe's hold, and turned around, anxious to finally see the man that had made my life hell for the last four weeks. And as I did, as I saw Leslie come out from behind some trees and come closer toward us, Joe instinctively pushed me behind him. At this, Leslie started clapping his hands together slowly in a mocking rhythm.

"So sweet, so touching. Let me tell you now Mr. Morelli that I allowed you to have this moment together so I could enjoy watching the moment when she's ripped away from you the way my son was ripped away from me when the cops hauled him off to jail from the courtroom. An act for which I can now thank you properly." Leslie extracted a gun from his jacket, and leveled it at Joe and me. Joe tightened the grip he had on my hip, a silent appeal for me to stay behind him. As if sensing this movement, Leslie again addressed Joe.

"Not to worry, Mr. Morelli, I'm not going to shoot your lovely wife. I figure she's much more use to me alive." He leered at me and a wave of nausea rolled over me. I was pretty sure this time it wasn't from the pregnancy. Just the thought of being with this guy had me physically ill.

"And, what, you think I'm just going to hand her over to you?" Joe spat. "You're crazier than I thought." And with the speed of lightning, Joe reached into his jacket and pulled out his own gun. Casting Leslie a wry grin filled with malice, Joe added, "And stupider, too, for letting me get my gun."

"Don't underestimate me, Morelli. Remember I told you I'm a gambling man? Well, winning the bet is no fun if the odds are too heavily in one's favor. I have every intention of winning. But victory will be much sweeter when attained on a more level playing field."

Crap! This guy was crazy. Instinct told me Leslie wasn't lying when he said I wasn't in mortal danger. No, Leslie definitely thought it would be better revenge on Joe if he were to take me alive, for Joe to know I was out there somewhere he couldn't get to me. So, maybe he didn't want me dead, but I had a feeling he didn't hold that same sentiment for Joe. He might prefer Joe alive to mourn my loss, but I knew that if it came to it, he would still shoot Joe in an instant if he had to, either to get to me, or to get me away. I wasn't about to let this idiot shoot my husband. Sure Joe was armed too, but I was afraid he would either play it too safe, worried that I would get hit in crossfire, or he would purposely put himself in harm's way to deflect the danger away from me. He knew as well as I did that even if Leslie did manage to grab me, he wouldn't get me out of here. Ranger and his men were out there somewhere waiting to stop him. I couldn't stand by and let Joe sacrifice his safety for mine. Not when he was in more danger of getting hurt than I was. Leslie wouldn't shoot me, and he had no chance of getting me away from here, but what good would that do me if Joe was dead.

It was up to me. I knew I had to be the one to detract the dangerous attention away from Joe. I thought about what Leslie had said about his son, then I gave a brief thought to the child I was carrying, and all of a sudden a plan to get us out of this popped into my head. At the bottom of this whole mess, right or wrong, was Leslie's grief at losing his son and the loneliness that likely followed. That grief was something I could relate to now. If I could play on his loneliness, make him feel like I was on his side and he wasn't alone anymore, then I was hoping I could get to him and disarm him. Because I was becoming increasingly surer that to get to me, Leslie would shoot Joe. I just had a gut feeling that although revenge on Joe would be nice for Leslie, more than anything what he wanted was compensation for the loss of his son and I appeared to be it. Therefore, I had to get away from Joe to keep him safe.

Slowly, I started to ease out from behind the cover of Joe's rigid body. But Joe was too attuned to me, aware of every move I made. Each time I tried to step around him, he would put his arm out and shove me back behind him. Damn insufferable arrogant male. God, I loved him so much. Still, it was obvious I wasn't going to get any physical distance from him until I got some emotional distance. So, I did what used to come so naturally for me where Joe was concerned. I started a fight.

"Fellas, Fellas, all this fighting over me is flattering, really. But I can make my own choices. And Joe, I think I'm going to go join Mr. Leslie over there." Temporarily taken off guard by my statement, Joe released his grip on me to turn his attention my way. I used the opportunity to quickly move away from him, shooting him a look I hoped would make him understand my motives and intentions. Not that I figured that would make much difference to Joe. He'd still be pissed at having his role as my protector taken away. Sure enough, the minute Joe realized I had gotten too far away from him to shield me anymore, fury blazed in his eyes and he yelled "Steph, what are you doing?"

I didn't want Joe distracted with worry, didn't want him making a messy mistake that could endanger him. I had to make Joe understand my desire to be his partner in getting us free and away from this idiot. "I'm finally getting away from you, you big Jerk," I yelled back. Surely, Joe would be able to figure out from that what I was doing and just let me go. I hoped.

Instead, Joe tried to pursue me, but Leslie trained his gun on me, stopping Joe in his tracks. I needed the gun off of me so I could get closer to Leslie and get it away from him. I raised my eyes, which had been staring at the gun pointed at my chest, to look directly at Leslie. What faced me were crazy eyes. Eyes that had lost their sight on reality. Making the owner of those eyes that much more dangerous. I couldn't think about that. I was no expert at disarming anyone, but right now the adrenaline was pumping through me, and the desire to keep my husband and child safe was so strong, it was making me feel like I could do anything. And I would. I had learned enough moves from Joe and Ranger that I believed I could get the better of this madman. With the distance that now existed between me and Joe, Leslie wouldn't be able to cover both of us at the same time. It was time to convince Leslie once and for all I was on his side so he would focus his attention back on Joe, allowing me to get to him. I turned to face Joe, who was looking at me with narrowed eyes and a tight line to his mouth. Man, I wanted to kiss that scowl right off his handsome face. But first things first.

"Look Joe, I decided I don't want to be married to a cop. I thought I could handle it, but this whole thing has made me realize I can't. I'm being held at gunpoint for God's sake. I'm really sick of that. Plus, I don't like hearing all these tales from your job, like how you put this poor man's son in prison for no reason." I creased my brows together and threw in my best sneer for good measure before adding, "No wonder you never want to share the details of your cases with me."

I could barely force the words from my mouth without choking on them. I just hoped that in Leslie's crazy mind he'd believe what he wanted to be the truth and I'd be successful in convincing him I was on his side. He still had his gun pointed at me so I decided to go for broke and see how far I could take this. Far enough, I hoped. Turning my attention to Leslie now, I said, "Wouldn't it be better for him to be left alone, knowing it was my choice? That's certainly much more likely to destroy him than thinking I was taken unwillingly. Do it that way, and you'll never have any peace. I mean, he's a cop. He'd never stop looking for me. You and I both know that. Let me go and I'll leave him right now and there won't be anything he can do…to you or to me."

I could see his gun hand shaking now, unsure. My nerves were frazzled and I felt at my breaking point. I wasn't sure how many more lies I could tell and still be convincing. Joe had never once taken his gun off Leslie, but he'd never go after Leslie while he held a gun on me. It really was up to me and I just wanted this over with now. I held my breath and waited to see what Leslie would do. Leslie's eyes flitted from me to Joe. I smiled cautiously at him, wanting so much for him to believe my stupid story. All I needed was for him to focus his attention on Joe so I could get behind him and disarm him. After several seconds that felt more like hours, Leslie swung the gun over to Joe. I silently sucked in my breath. I knew at this point I wasn't supposed to care what happened to Joe, so I had to carefully hide my emotional reactions and focus on the task ahead, now that I was free to do so. I slowly drifted toward Leslie as he started talking to Joe.

"Well, it looks like your woman's defected, Morelli."

"Looks like it. Can't say I'm all that surprised. She always was a hot-headed little bitch. Not to mention stubborn. Once she makes up her mind about something, there's no convincing her otherwise. I thought I could tame her with marriage, but a leopard and its spots and all that crap." My eyes widened and I momentarily halted my steps. OK. So I knew what Joe was doing. He'd finally decided to play my game. And by further convincing Leslie we were now on opposite sides, Leslie seemed to have forgotten all about my presence as I moved closer toward him. Still, it wasn't easy hearing the remarks Joe made. Remarks that at one point in time he might have meant. I quickly glanced over to Joe, and saw so much love looking back at me I felt more empowered than ever. A man like Leslie, consumed by hate, wouldn't recognize the connection that passed between Joe and me but I felt it clear to my bones. Leslie was chuckling at Joe's words, and Joe started laughing too. All of a sudden, they were temporarily bonded over man-hating bitches. Apparently, Leslie's ex-wife had been one as well. Imagine, not wanting to stay married to a psychopath and be a mother to a thug. _Huh!_ Closing my mind to what I was hearing, focusing only on what needed to be done to keep all of us safe, I set off for Leslie once again. I was close, getting closer every second, but still he was just out of reach.

"Now that it's just me and you," Leslie said, "why don't you put your weapon down."

Joe speared me with a quick glance. Noting that I was in a good position to Leslie, he slowly leaned over and placed his gun on the ground. What an amazing show of trust, putting his life completely in my hands. I allowed myself a quick moment to revel in that before getting back to business. Now that Joe was no longer armed it was more imperative than ever that I bring Leslie down. Leslie was so cocky, so sure he had won, he didn't ask Joe to move the gun away from himself. He simply cocked his gun and pierced Joe with a glare of concentrated fury and hatred, effectively ending the bonding moment they recently shared. Maybe now that I'd "left" Joe willingly, Leslie didn't care if he kept him alive or not. Maybe after everything I'd already done, Leslie was going to shoot Joe anyway. Panic at that thought sent another wave of adrenaline racing through my veins. In a blur of motion I grabbed a heavy stick that I had scoped out, lunged toward Leslie, and brought the stick against the back of his head. He staggered, blood rushing from the wound. In blind rage, he spun around to retaliate against me. I hit him a second time with the stick at the same time that I heard a gunshot, and realized that Joe had retrieved his gun and taken Leslie down with a non-lethal shot to his leg. Whatta guy. I'm not sure after all this I could have been so restrained.

Joe raced over and stood above Leslie, glaring down at him as he writhed and moaned in pain from the blows to his head and the shot to his leg. I swear for a minute Joe contemplated getting one good kick in as well, then decency got the better of him and he simply reached down and cuffed him. Although he did wrench his arms up pretty high behind his back when he did that. Apparently, even decency has its limits. At the end, everything had happened so fast, over in an instant. Now, events were unfolding in time that was as equally slow as it had been fast a few moments ago. I looked at Joe, his muscles bunched, jaw clenched, handcuffing Leslie, and just absorbed the sight of him in all his capable, macho glory. He looked wonderful. Then I looked down at myself, in one piece, without as much as a scratch on me. Finally, my gaze settled on Leslie, the man who had caused me so much misery these last few weeks, but who had not fared as well as Joe and I in the end. It all seemed so surreal that I felt I needed some sort of physical and verbal assurance. I needed to touch Joe, to hear him say everything was OK. I waited for him to finish with Leslie, and when he stood back up, I placed my hand on his chest and met his gaze.

"We're OK?"

"Yeah, we're OK," Joe crooned as he smiled at me and lightly brushed his hand down my cheek. "Listen, I hate to leave you right now, but," Joe motioned to Leslie, "I want to take this bastard to Ranger for safekeeping until I can get some cops out here to haul him in. After that, I'm not leaving you for a very long time."

I smiled and nodded my head. Joe reached down and yanked Leslie to his feet, dragging him away amid his protestations and squeals of pain. I had no sympathy for him, and no desire to even look at him again as Joe took him away.

I stood there alone, trying to process everything that had happened and how it had ended successfully. I felt my stomach again, reassuring myself that the baby and I had made it through this, just as I knew we would. I had no idea how long Joe had been gone, but suddenly he was standing back in front of me, in exactly the same spot he had left me. Joe rubbed his hands up and down my arms.

"Steph, honey, I left Leslie with Ranger to wait for the cops, although I heard sirens so it shouldn't be long now. Ranger took it upon himself to call them when he heard the gunshot."

I blinked up at Joe and took a few deep breaths, trying to focus on what he was saying.

"Ranger?"

"Is fine. He was far away enough from the action, and Leslie certainly isn't a threat to anyone anymore in his condition."

"Good." Hearing Joe say that everything was under control, it was finally starting to sink in that the ordeal was over. The shock was wearing off and with my head clearing, I thought proudly about how I had been instrumental in making it happen. And that made me feel even better. I knew Joe and I made good partners. Should I gloat now, or wait until later? Maybe now wasn't the best time. Despite the successful outcome of today, Joe still looked like he could spit nails, and there were more important things to discuss anyway. Suddenly, I felt an overwhelming urge to tell Joe about the baby. Except that when I looked into his eyes, I got lost in the depth of the emotion I saw there, and all I managed to say was, "We're OK," again, although more as a statement than a question this time.

Joe's mouth creased into a tight line as he cupped my face in his hands. "Steph, I assure you I'm fine. Ranger's fine. I'm beginning to wonder a little bit about you," he said, smiling as he tucked a piece of stray hair behind my ear, "but you really don't need to keep saying it."

"I wasn't referring to you. Or Ranger, for that matter," I said, as a smile slowly crept across my face. This was it. If I could manage to gather the words together, and stop talking in riddles, I was about to tell Joe we were pregnant.

"You said 'We're OK.' If you didn't mean me or Ranger then who were you talking about?"

I opened my mouth, determined to tell Joe the good news, when Ranger and the Merry Men walked up to us. My eyes locked with Ranger's and a knowing look passed between us. Joe noticed it immediately.

"Alright! What's going on here? Why do I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't know something important."

I looked around at Ranger and the guys, who were smiling at me, and then back at Joe who looked so adorably perplexed I couldn't wait another second to spill the news, even if we now had an audience.

"When I said 'We're OK', I was referring to me and," I gently placed my hands on my stomach, "and Junior Morelli here." Joe looked stunned for a minute, then a beautiful, bone-melting grin erupted on his lips. He raked his fingers through his hair, grinning like an idiot.

"I'm going to be a father?" Joe asked, seemingly awed by the news.

"Seems so, yeah."

"When? How far along are you?" His excitement was so palpable, I couldn't help but start grinning like an idiot with him.

"I'd say you have about 7 months to get used to the idea."

"There's no way I'm going to need that long, but it will give me some time to get the room all fixed up." Joe still had his hands on his head, and was turning in a circle to encompass everyone in his excitement. Turning to look back at me, his voice thick with emotion, Joe whispered, "Oh, Steph, you're pregnant." I was beaming, Joe was beaming, then all of a sudden he wasn't beaming. All of a sudden, the clouds had come out and started raining on our parade.

"You knew you were pregnant and you went along with this operation anyway?" Joe stood with his arms crossed over his chest, scowling at me, when only seconds ago he was happier than I've seen him in a very long while.

"I knew you were going to be upset about that, obviously, and I've given a lot of thought to what I want to say to you. All I ask is that you wait to yell at me until you've heard me out completely. Agreed?"

Joe gave a small, imperceptible nod, as if even that gesture was too much effort to give me right now. I better talk fast. "Alright," Joe said.

"Well, Junior here was really anxious to meet his daddy, and I had all the confidence in the world that you wouldn't let…" Joe grabbed me into his arms and cut off my explanation with a kiss, letting me know no explanation was necessary. My body relaxed and I melted into Joe, accepting his kiss and returning it. A kiss of relief, of understanding, of shared joy.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" I asked when Joe finally ended the most glorious kiss I could ever remember getting.

"Steph, you left my cover – a risky move by the way," Joe said, trying, but failing to look stern, "but one that paid off. You lulled Leslie into a false sense of security, you distracted him and made him confused. He couldn't cover both of us in two different locations and when he thought he should cover me because I was the most dangerous to him, you proved him wrong. I guess he didn't know about your penchant for causing trouble." Joe cupped my face and gazed at me with naked adoration that stole my breath. "You were brilliant today Steph, there's nothing to forgive. I'm so very proud of my wife."

And just like that the tears that I'd been holding at bay started burning the back of my eyes. It amazed me to hear Joe say he was proud of me, when I was expecting his anger. And I have to say I was fairly proud of myself. I had thought my actions out, then followed through in deed, as opposed to winging it and just getting lucky as I had done with so many of my skip retrievals in the past. And having proven to myself that I could do it, I felt ready to take on a new challenge. Parenthood. But with Joe and me working as a team, I knew we could tackle anything. As if Joe plucked my thoughts right out of my head, at that moment he grinned at me and said, "We make a great team."

NOW it was time to gloat. "Told you so, Mr. Morelli."

"That you did, Mrs. Morelli, that you did."

**THE END!**


End file.
